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Series Description: LAND BETWEEN TWO RIVERS: PART 3 surveys the array of Iowa's plant, animal, insect and marine life against the backdrop of encroaching agricultural and urban development. The programs provide both concrete and abstract food for thought about Iowans' responsibility for their natural heritage.

There has been generally little change in smaller reptiles and amphibians since prehistoric times. Turtles, salamanders, water snakes, and western chorus frogs are some examples presented. [28 minutes]

A panel of experts talks about Iowans' roles as caretakers of the natural world and the importance for future generations. The restoration of flood plains and green belts is a major topic. [29 minutes]

It is a special challenge to government officials to take a pro-environment stance in Iowa during times of economic troubles. As farms and cities fight for land, legislative efforts to put more endangered ecosystems under the state's protection resurface. [30 minutes]

This program presents the research results of some Iowa naturalists and the stories of their lifelong interests in scientific inquiry. Viewers take a look at crayfish behavior patterns counter-adaptions made by garden spiders to snare food, a threatened species of plant life called the monkshood, and the value of fossil study. [29 minutes]

This program explores three different ecosystems in the Loess Hills region and is highlighted by a trip to the prairie. Students also use role-playing to help determine the best use of a tract of land in the Loess Hills. [28 minutes]